Malfunction
by Shattered Aura
Summary: Haggar's magic lingers in Shiro's arm, and Pidge and Keith pay the price.
1. The Attack

**A/N: Hey guys!**

 **I'm fully immersed in the Voltron fandom with a few fanfic ideas of my own! This one here is one of my favorites, so I really hope you like it just as much as I do!**

 **Disclaimer: Dreamworks owns Voltron: Legendary Defender.**

 **Summary: Haggar's magic lingers in Shiro's arm, and Pidge and Keith pay the price.**

 **The story is set in the beginning of Season 2 after the team have found themselves again after the wormhole accident. This one will be a two-shot!**

 **Also, please check out my other Voltron one-shot, "Nightmare"! But most of all, please, R &R, and enjoy!**

XxX

Shiro considers himself lucky.

Lucky to still be alive.

Lucky Keith has found and rescued him in time.

Speaking of the lanky teen, Keith is currently leaning against the wall of the bridge as Shiro walks in, after having woken up from the cyropod and gotten changed. Allura works on the Castle's defenses after their trek through the wormhole. She doesn't turn around, but Shiro can still feel her smile as he walks in.

"Good to see you in top shape, Shiro."

He offers a small smile in return. "It's good to be back, Princess." He glances around, but only Keith lingers in the wide room, surely awaiting Shiro's return. "Where are the others?"

"Coran and Hunk are in the kitchen, I believe," Allura replies, lightly chuckling. "They are most likely fighting over who will cook dinner."

The Red Paladin steps forward. "I think Pidge and Lance are in the training deck. They asked for you."

Shiro rests a hand on Keith's shoulder. "Alright, then I guess you and I will join them." Before the duo leaves, however, the older calls out, "I suppose you will not need our assistance, Princess?"

"There is nothing I cannot fix for now," the Altean assures. "Now go; your team requires your assistance, Black Paladin."

Shiro shakes his head, fighting a smile. "I'm sure they do. I'll see you at dinner, then."

On their way to the training deck, Keith remains silent. While the boy usually keeps to himself, Shiro knows him enough to be able to tell he has something on his mind.

Keith eventually confirms Shiro's own thoughts when he randomly spouts, "How are you holding up, Shiro?"

The man cocks an eyebrow. "I'm fine."

"We both know that's bullshit. Those beasts did a number on you."

 _You don't have to remind me_ , Shiro mentally retaliates. Instead, he comforts the younger boy with, "I'm healed now." At Keith's own raised eyebrow, he adds, "That's all that matters."

The silence is awkward as they keep walking to the training deck. Then, "What about your arm?"

Shiro halts to a stop. "My...arm?" he asks, mildly confused. To be perfectly honest, he hasn't given it much thought, but as he flexes his muscles and wiggles his fingers, he feels odd.

He's not about to admit it, though.

"It's nothing," he settles on.

Keith scowls, but before he can insist, the duo hears a shrill battle cry.

Pidge.

All it takes is a few seconds before the fizzling of a training drone echoes, and Lance calls out, "End training sequence."

The door slides open and the duo steps in. Shiro takes in Pidge's surroundings, noticing a few drones either sliced in half or electrocuted beyond their limit. He smiles. "Nice job, Pidge."

"You were awesome!" Lance agrees, joining the group. "You should've seen her, man! She was all like, 'shling!' and 'yaaaaah!' and then, 'come back here, you little son of a bi—'"

"Yeah, yeah," Pidge interrupts with a soft pant, a slight blush gracing her cheeks at the praises. She giggles at Lance's excitement, nudging him when he is close enough. "It's your turn, Lance!"

He splutters, "B-But, I went earlier!"

Keith can't contain the smirk on his face. "Aw, are you scared? Did Pidge do better than you?"

"I'd like to see _you_ beat her, Mullet!"

"Well, I'd like to see you oppose me."

"I will! Training drone, level 5!"

"Pfft, can't even beat me yourself, you gotta get a drone to prove yourself."

"Let's see who gets to it first!"

Shiro sighs. "Enough, Paladins. Can you stop your bickering for five seconds and work as a team for once?" But his smirk betrays how annoyed he truly is.

Next to him, Pidge rolls her eyes. "Yeah, guys. Can you two fuck already?"

Shiro's eyes widen out of their sockets, while Lance and Keith wheel around, not sure they've correctly heard their youngest teammate. The drone takes the opportunity to fire a shot at Lance, which the Red Paladin immediately notices. He summons his shield and holds it over the both of them, trying to fight his blush. Instead, he glares at the youngest, who merely grins in retaliation.

Shiro internally sighs. He loves his team, and although Pidge should watch her language, she is right; the two boys clearly have some sort of love-hate relationship going on, where they started as rivals but then it grew into something nobody could explain.

He feels the pain before he notices the glow.

With a grunt, he kneels down and clutches his metallic arm, the hand glowing a bright purple. He only faintly hears Keith call off the training sequence, squeezing his eyes shut as his arm fizzes with electricity.

Something is clearly wrong. He shouldn't have ignored it earlier.

Pidge steps back, her eyes wide. "Shiro?" she softly asks.

"Ngh...Pidge, stand back, I don't want to hurt you..."

Yet, his arm only seems to get worse.

The girl stubbornly leans by his side. "I-I have to examine it, it might be a virus of some sort...I'll contact Hunk so he can come check it ou—"

Pidge is sent flying toward the nearest wall, hitting her back with a loud yell.

Shiro stares in horror at the youngest Paladin as she struggles to get back up, one arm clutching her stomach.

Shiro _hit_ her.

He hit _Pidge_.

He tries to gain control of his arm, but it seems like it has a mind of its own, stuck with a clenched fist.

While Lance runs to Pidge's aid, Keith runs to him. He panics. "N-No, Keith, stay away from me!"

But Keith is just as stubborn as the Green Paladin. "We have to get you to the med-bay now! Allura and Coran will help!"

"Pidge?" Lance worriedly asks, holding the girl's bicep as he helps her stand up. "Are you okay?"

She coughs despite herself. "I'm—I'll be fine, just...go get help."

He shakes his head. "I can't just leave you here!"

"Lance!" Keith barks, glaring at him as he cautiously approaches their leader. "Go get help, we'll be fine here!"

"But—"

"NOW!"

The anguish in his voice sends the Cuban running to the nearest person.

Unfortunately, while Keith has his attention to Lance, Shiro's hand decides it's the perfect time to strike.

He swings, nailing the teen on the shoulder. Keith falls on his side with a surprised shout, his hand clutching at his shoulder.

'No!" Shiro wails, trying so desperately to stop his arm from hurting his friends. The entire appendage glows a dangerous purple, one he will never be able to erase from his memory.

As if it had replaced Shiro's full functionality, he finds himself prowling towards Pidge in long, menacing strides. She attempts to back away, but her back is already pressed against the wall, giving her the support she needs to even stand as her arm remains wrapped around her stomach. Her eyes are fearfully staring back at her leader's, reflecting his own terror.

"No, no no no...Pidge, you have to leave, now!"

She whimpers. "I-I can't, I can't leave you here!"

He internally cusses her stubbornness out. "I'm just gonna keep hurting you! Leave," he pleads, closing the distance between himself and the small girl.

However, before he can get to her, a mass jumps on him from behind, wrapping their limbs around his built body. "Shiro, don't take one step further," Keith snaps, pulling against the Black Paladin in a meek effort to stop him. "Snap out of it!"

Shiro's body slowly tips backward, and he realizes one second too late what he's about to do. His warning isn't fast enough, for he crushes Keith under his full weight. The Red Paladin loudly grunts, breath sucked out of him from the blow. His limbs go limp, making him let go of Shiro to sprawl on the floor.

In the moment it takes for his breath to recover, Shiro is already grasping the collar of his vest and lifting him up, pressing him against the wall. A single tear streams down his face as he whispers, "I'm so sorry."

His arm throws the boy across the room, _hard_.

Keith's body creates a dent in the wall on impact, and he crumbles to the floor, blood coating the back of his head and staining the floor a crimson red.

Pidge remains frozen as Shiro's body advances toward her. Despite his pleas for his body to stop and stay away from her, his mechanical hand reaches out and wraps around her throat, lifting her up and bringing her closer to her leader.

Shiro brings his functional arm to clutch at his mechanical one, but it will not let go. He is helpless to watch the Green Paladin as she wheezes, trying to suck in air. She weakly hits the glowing hand and mewls as the metal seems to burn her, barely even managing to struggle.

She feels the energy draining out of her as the skin around her neck starts to blister at the heat. In a final attempt to stop Shiro, she rests her hand on top of his human one and musters her remaining energy to squeeze.

The man watches as her eyes close shut, tears freely flowing from her lids, only mirroring his.

A sudden, yellow blast is what makes him drop her, and through tears, he realizes that Hunk has fired at his arm, producing enough power to temporarily cripple it.

The Yellow Paladin's eyes are hard. "I'm sorry, Shiro," he begins, "but I had to stop you somehow."

Shiro can't bring himself to be mad. He can't be _anything_. Not when Keith is out cold, bleeding from a serious-looking head injury, and not when Pidge could be dead. "Do what you must," he murmurs, utterly defeated.

The last thing he hears before darkness takes over is, "get them to a cyropod, _now!_ "


	2. The Guilt

**A/N: Hey guys!**

 **Thank you so much for the views and reviews! Here are my replies:**

 **Guest: Thank you! I wasn't sure I had their personalities down, but I'm glad you thought so. :)**

 **bigtimedreamer101: Here is the next part! Hope you enjoy :)**

 **TheRedScreech: Thanks! I was hoping it would be!**

 **So after giving it a bit more thought, I've decided to make this story into a three-shot! The chapters had an unbalanced amount of words, and I felt like I'd rushed the ending, and so ended up adding more! Therefore, a three-shot would be best. That way, you will equally get more angst and fluff. :)**

 **Disclaimer: Dreamworks owns Voltron: Legendary Defender.**

 **Without further ado, here is the next chapter! So please, R & R, but most of all, enjoy!**

XxX

Shiro doesn't consider himself lucky.

Not as he stumbles down from the cyropod as the hatch pops open with a hiss.

Not as a buff figure catches him in their arms. Hunk.

His left arm is wrapped around Hunk's neck for balance, but he still feels off. It's only when he glances at his right that he discovers why.

"W-What—"

"We had to remove it," Allura supplies, voice oozing with regret. "It was too dangerous."

"Pidge and I will build you another one," Hunk promises. "It'll be safer."

But their voices seem too quiet. And he can only focus on two things.

His missing arm, and Pidge.

And then, thinking of Pidge makes him think of Keith, and he can't help but feel dread and panic creeping up his spine.

"Shiro?"

"Wh-Where are they...?"

Shiro only registers Lance's presence when the boy rests a hand on his right shoulder. "They're still in their cyropods, but they're due to come out in a bit."

He nods with a painful swallow. He urges Hunk to bring him in front of the other occupied cyropods, not meeting anybody's eyes as the taller boy sits him down comfortably in front of them.

He blankly stares at the resting figures in front of him. He winces as his eyes point out the bruises around Pidge's throat, just short of being hidden by the hem of her healing suit.

The bruises he's inflicted.

Guilt claws at his insides. He's hurt Pidge and Keith, the two Paladins who trust him the most. The ones who have truly opened up to him. And he's beaten them to unconsciousness. He feels sick.

Maybe it wouldn't be a good idea to have another mechanical arm. Any virus could easily overpower it, and he could...lose control again.

He never wants to feel that powerless, ever.

A hiss catches his attention. He looks up just as Keith's pod pops open, making the boy stumble out with a low moan. Lance is quick to catch him, wrapping his fellow Paladin's arm around his neck and propping a hand on his stomach.

Keith looks around the room, his eyes unfocused. "L-Lance...?" he mumbles, feeling the Blue Paladin's grip on him. "What happened...?"

Lance bites his lip. "We were attacked. You hit your head. You're fine now."

But he realizes too late that Keith wasn't listening to him.

Instead, his eyes are drawn to the same figure Keith is staring at.

Shiro.

The man's eyes bear into Keith's, pure sorrow buried in his dark irises. They shine with unshed tears, droplets that are long overdue.

"K-Keith, I—"

"Save it," the boy snaps, wrenching away from Lance's embrace. "You knew something was w-wrong with your arm all along. You didn't say anything." Shiro doesn't deny it, yet he remains silent, guilt-stricken. That only prompts Keith's rant. "You didn't admit there was a problem with your arm, and because of you, Pidge is still in a cyropod and I just got out of one!"

Allura chooses that moment to step in, ignoring the grief on Shiro's features. "Paladin," she snaps, "that is enough." There is a pause in which all Keith does is glare at her, but he eventually backs down. "Now, perhaps you should eat to gain some energy, and rest some more. We need you in top shape."

Keith complies, but not before sending Shiro one final look. Lance nervously fidgets while watching the ordeal. Eventually, he mutters something about checking up on Keith and follows after the Red Paladin.

Hunk quickly follows in his footsteps, claiming he has some food to cook.

Only Allura and Shiro remain, Coran trying to figure out what has happened to the latter's old arm.

The tension in the room is so thick, one shouldn't be able to see through it.

Finally, with a purse of her lips, Allura sits down next to the Black Paladin, following his line of sight all the way to the sleeping form of Pidge.

She sighs. "I know you are worried, but I hope you will listen to me when I say that blaming yourself is unhealthy. It was not your fault."

"Keith was right," he cuts in before she can say more. "I knew something was wrong with my arm. I felt it on our way to the training deck. I...I didn't want to worry him." He closes his eyes. "I didn't know it was that bad. I wish he'd understand how sorry I am."

"He will," Allura reassures. "Give him time to recover. He most likely feels betrayed; after all, he trusts you noticeably more than he trusts anyone else, and you have attacked him."

Shiro grumbles. "Thanks, that helps."

"What I am trying to say is, he must feel just as guilty as you do. He must think he could have prevented the injuries if you would have told him about your arm."

Shiro pales. "It's not his fault, and I would never blame him."

"He does not know that," Allura counters. "However, what he has told you was purely based on emotion. He does not fully believe you are at fault, either." When Shiro goes to object, she rests a hand on his shoulder. "Give him time to properly recover and calm down, and then talk to him. You will see."

She smiles to herself when he finally—albeit reluctantly—agrees with her. "Okay. I'll talk to him in a few days."

The two sit in silence for a moment, before Coran comes rushing in, holding Shiro's arm.

"I have discovered the cause of the malfunction."

XxX

The group—minus Pidge—gathers in the bridge, where Coran sets the arm. Keith watches from a distance, still wary around the object but also still recovering. Lance is the only person he allows to hover close to him.

Allura clears her throat. "Well? What have you found?"

"By my calculations," Coran begins, "it appears to be residual magic. I could have Number Five take a closer look when she wakes, but my scanners thankfully have not picked up on any virus."

All eyes then shift to Shiro, wordlessly asking how he could have gotten in contact with any magic. He sighs. "While on the ship, I ran into Haggar. We fought. Some of her magic probably lingered in my arm. Or maybe it was when we crossed the wormhole."

The Princess frowns. "If that were the case, the Castle would also be infected."

"Either way," Hunk jumps in, "we can program Shiro's new arm to counter any magic, should he run into Haggar again."

Coran smooths his mustache. "While the extra security measure will not hurt, it is our job, in turn, to make sure the witch does not get her hands on our Black Paladin again."

"That is correct," Allura agrees. "We will take all measures needed, not only to keep her away from Shiro and all of us but also to make sure his new arm is completely safe."

"What do we do in the meantime?" Lance asks, arms crossed.

"A bit of maintenance on the ship would help," Coran muses. "Perhaps I can check on the teludav. It must be in poor condition after our perilous jump."

Allura nods her approval. "I am just about done with our defenses. I will move on to the weapons' systems and run a scan for any virus in our own system, just in case."

"I'll help," Keith offers, standing beside the Princess.

Hunk rubs his chin. "I think I'll get some food ready for Pidge."

Allura's eyes widen as she is reminded of their remaining teammate. "Ah, yes! I believe she merely has a few doboshes left before she is ready to come out of the pod! Perhaps Shiro and Lance could welcome her back, yes?"

Shiro suddenly feels pressured, remembering Keith's reaction to him when he came out of the pod. Keith steps in, equally uncomfortable. "Wouldn't she want all of us there when she wakes up?"

With a sigh, Allura nods. "I suppose you are right. Let us all await her, then."

She sends an apologetic look to Shiro and he does his best not to give it much attention. He knows Keith is equally against the idea of having Shiro basically alone with Pidge when she falls out of the pod.

The leader falls behind the group, feeling slightly ill. If Keith's reaction was to blame him, what will Pidge's be? Will she hate him too? Will she be scared?

The current lack of an arm doesn't help the dread in his stomach. Nothing will feel right, not as long as Pidge still has that bruise, not as long as Keith still avoids him, and not as long as he doesn't properly apologize to not only the two Paladins he's injured but the others he has most likely scared.

They reach Pidge's pod just in time. Only a few ticks after their arrival, the pod dings, and with an all too familiar hiss, the hatch pops open. Pidge's body lurches forward as her eyes are still closed, and Keith, who is the closest, catches her. She shifts in his hold, feeling for familiarity.

The group observes with deep attention as her eyes flutter open. "K-Keith...?" she asks with a hoarse voice, looking up at the Red Paladin. She softly pats the back of his head, clutching his arm for support with her other hand. "You're...You're okay..."

She promptly throws her arms around him in a warm hug.

Keith is surprised at the action, for he and Pidge were never _this_ close, but his relief regarding her condition is blatant in the way he squeezes her in return.

Everybody else expresses their relief as the weight on their shoulders drops and they all give comforting smiles to their youngest.

Pidge smiles back at every single individual person in the room, until her eyes land on Shiro, who is missing his arm. "Sh-Shiro, your arm," she murmurs, then coughs as her slightly scratchy voice irritates her throat.

"Take it easy," Allura shushes, but there is no malice in her tone. "Your throat may be a bit sore still."

"Ya think?" Pidge deadpans, then winces at the lingering pain.

"Yup, she's fine," Lance concludes, going by the Green Paladin's side to ruffle her hair. "Good to have you back, Pigeon."

She smiles at him, nudging his shoulder with her elbow. "Yeah, yeah," she whispers.

"How's the stomach?" Hunk asks, grabbing her hands to support her as Keith reluctantly lets go despite knowing what the Yellow Paladin's intentions are.

Pidge feels for the bruise, finding none. "Feels good."

He grins. "Well, it's about to be full!" He hoists her on his shoulders and she squeaks, the sound cut off by her throat, but she giggles despite the small pain. "We're gonna get you food and then get you in your comfortable clothes and you'll be healed in no time!"

Shiro helplessly watches as the four Paladins happily make their way to the kitchen, having lost his chance to apologize in front of the group.


	3. The Apologies

**A/N: Hey guys!**

 **Thank you so much for the reviews! Here are my replies:**

 **Guest: Thank you! :)**

 **Fir3danc3r: Haha, I have the same obsession! This is mostly Shiro-centered, I guess, which is weird for me, but I love Pidge angst as well! Also, thank you so much for your review, it was sweet and kind to say! :)**

 **bigtimedreamer101: I feel the same way, like some people "in real life" don't apologize right away, so why should characters apologize right away? I hope this chapter satisfies you, and thank you for the review! :)**

 **And that's all, folks! This is the last chapter, as promised! This whole time, I had planned on making it a one-shot, but I have over 5k words, so I decided to divide it into 2 parts, but then I was unsatisfied so I made it into 3! I am proud of this story, and I am really to have joined the Voltron fandom. :)**

 **Disclaimer: Dreamworks owns Voltron: Legendary Defender.**

 **I do have a tiny heads up for this chapter though; there is a fight scene, and I am awful at writing any combat movements, so please forgive me if those seem off! The characters also might seem a little OOC, so don't be shy to let me know how so! With that said, please R &R but most importantly, enjoy!**

XxX

Shiro used to like the colour purple.

It would illuminate the skies aside the various blue and green hues of the northern lights. It would cover the soil of his mother's flower garden. It would fill the empty canvases of his colouring books as a child.

That was before the Galra.

What had used to shine the skies had equally shined the walls of his cell. It had covered the floors of that dreadful arena.

But most of all, it had become the Druids' canvas—his arm.

He winces, opening his eyes once more. Try as he might, he cannot fall asleep to save his life. Every time he comes closer to nodding off, his memories taunt him enough to keep him awake.

And so, he wanders the halls with no particular goal in mind, his patience with himself growing thin.

He has yet to have delivered a proper apology to the group despite the fact that most are sleeping by now. He fears the more he waits, the worst it will be for the others to accept it, and he feels like it will take even longer for the team to trust him again, even though he shouldn't be surprised there.

As he approaches the kitchen, having settled on eating a midnight snack, a scuffle catches his attention, followed by a few whispers.

"You should go to bed." Keith.

Then, a softer voice, but one he'd recognize anywhere. Pidge. "So should you. You're not completely healed."

Shiro can almost _see_ the shrug. "I'm still a little concussed. What is it they say? Stay awake for 24 hours if you can help it?"

"I hate you." A cough.

"Sure you do. If you don't wanna sleep yet, at least go to your room."

"...I'm hungry."

"Didn't you eat enough of Hunk's food?"

"Never!"

A groan. "Pidge, come on, you need rest. Go to your room."

"What are you, my mom?"

"No, but I don't want anyone to find you passed out in another corner. _Again_."

"You _so_ are my mom."

A sigh. "Just go to bed, Pidge."

A snicker, but no further insistence.

Shiro chooses that moment to step in, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head with his hand. "I, uh, couldn't help but overhear. You should both get some rest."

"We're fine," Keith clips, his tone a few shades colder.

Pidge grabs the boy's wrist. "It's okay," she implores. "I wanted to talk to him, anyway."

Shiro hopes his flinch is only internal. Yet, he also feels a pinch of relief. She doesn't seem afraid. She doesn't want to avoid him.

That's good, right?

Keith backs away. "Fine. I'll go shower." He leaves before the other two can stop him.

Shiro sighs. That's not as good, but he'll take something over nothing at all.

With heavy silence hanging in the air, the duo proceeds to the lounge. Shiro's slight appetite is long gone by now, feeling ill. Keith is still undoubtedly mad.

Shiro glances at Pidge, watching as she sits down on the couch a few feet away from him while rubbing her neck.

Shiro purses his lips before facing her completely, sitting down as well. "Look, about earlier, I'm...sorry. I know Keith blames me. I blame me too. I wish he'd know how sorry I am. I want you to know that, too."

Pidge remains silent, staring at the floor. He doesn't know if it's because she wants to preserve her voice, or if she has nothing to say to him.

Finally, she settles on, "It's okay. You didn't know. It-It won't happen again."

His breath hitches in his throat. Her reply doesn't ease his guilt. "That's the thing. I did know. I knew there was something wrong. I just...didn't know it was that bad. But...I never intended to hurt you."

The girl pauses again, this time staring back at him. Then, "I know you didn't. That's...that's okay."

"It's not,' Shiro persists. "I still hurt you, and that hurt me. I'm so, so sorr—"

"Stop," she interrupts, her voice wavering. "Please, stop apologizing."

Shiro waits for her to go on, but she doesn't say anything. He takes note of her body language and his face falls. "You're scared," he murmurs. "You're scared. Of _me_."

"No," she cuts in. "I was when...y'know. I'm just...wary, now."

"Of me," he repeats.

She bites her lip. "Well, yeah. I don't want to fuck up your new arm."

He sharply glances at her. "My...arm?" _She's trying to avoid the subject_ , he notes.

Nevertheless, she nods. "Your new arm. Hunk and I will work on it tomorrow. I...I hope it's not too long a wait."

He is awestruck. "My ar...Pidge. I couldn't care less about my arm. I care about you. I hurt you, I hurt Keith, I scared the others."

"It's over now," she finally snaps. He hesitantly shifts back. "What's done is done. You never meant to do it, so get over yourself."

The silence settles once again. Pidge sighs, staring at the floor again and shifting her feet back and forth.

She eventually stands up, making her way toward her room when she sees that Shiro still hasn't said anything. However, as she passes by, he grabs her wrist softly enough not to hurt her.

"I won't get over it," he admits, letting go when he realizes that she's hearing him out. She raises an eyebrow. "Not until everyone can forgive me."

She bites back a laugh. "You're an idiot."

He straightens up in his seat. Whatever reply he expected, it wasn't that. "Excuse me?"

"We've already forgiven you, you know. We're waiting for you to forgive yourself." She carefully rubs her neck. He doesn't comment on it.

"Keith hasn't," he murmurs, looking down. "He's avoiding me like the plague."

She scoffs. "Yeah, well, that's Keith. You should know that by now."

Shiro remains as stubborn as ever. "I've betrayed his trust."

"Duh, of course. You were his only friend for so long. He lost you for a year. He-He doesn't want to lose you again."

He scowls, finally standing up. "Rest your voice. It has to be hurting right now."

Pidge looks up at him, grabbing his hand. "I'd go through worse for you," she vouches, "for the others. I know you would, too; you already have."

Shiro's voice catches in his throat, struck with emotion. "Pidge—"

"Go tell Keith, now," she interrupts with a knowing smirk. "He's waiting."

"He's in the shower," he deadpans.

It feels good to hear her laugh again. It feels good to laugh again, too.

XxX

"Spar with me," he orders the Red Paladin the next day, catching him off guard as they stand in front of the training deck's doors. Hunk had repaired the cracks in the wall the night before, and now it was as good as new.

Keith scowls but nonetheless follows his leader into the room when Shiro insists. "Cheap shot, using your head status."

Shiro offers a smirk, yet his expression remains sad. "If it gets you to listen to me."

The teen doesn't add anything and instead chooses to fall into his battle stance, sizing Shiro up as if the man were a new enemy. Shiro accepts the challenge, modifying his stance so his left side dominates.

Keith doesn't use his bayard since Shiro doesn't have one and the man is already at a disadvantage with only one arm. Even without his sword, though, Keith is still fairly strong in combat, and so he takes offensive.

He rushes Shiro and swings, trying to strike the man on his bicep. Shiro ducks and swings his leg, hooking his foot behind Keith's and pulling. The Red Paladin finds stumbles back, glaring at Shiro. "You fight dirty."

Shiro shrugs. "Don't leave your back exposed too much. Someone _will_ try to trip you." He emphasizes with a roundhouse kick to the back of Keith's knee, but this time the boy his ready. He sidesteps and delivers a kick of his own to Shiro's side. The man, unable to catch Keith's leg with his absent right arm, grunts.

He blocks Keith's next attack with his left arm and ducks again as Keith uses his available fist to swing back. While Shiro ducks, he pushes Keith's other arm aside and punches his forearm.

Keith groans, clutching his arm. Shiro uses the opportunity to kick the back of his knee again, this time succeeding. Keith's leg gives under him and sends him sprawling.

He closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. He has to focus. Has to remind himself that he's still mad.

He opens his eyes to an outstretched palm. Shiro stands in front of him, offering his hand.

Keith reluctantly takes it, using it to hoist himself up. Shiro never stops staring at the boy. "Will you hear me out now that I've defeated you?"

"You cheated," Keith grumbles, but makes no move to leave. Shiro takes that as a battle won, but the war is not over.

"You had the advantage, I just had to find my own."

"You hurt me."

"I never meant to."

"You left me alone."

"I never meant to abandon you, Keith. And I never will."

He seals the promise by wrapping his arm around the boy, who is shaking.

"I trust you, Shiro," he says, his voice so small it's almost unheard. But Shiro hears him from the bottom of his heart. "I've always trusted you. Don't break that. Don't leave me again."

Shiro knows it is a heavy promise to make. He knows that as the leader and Black Paladin, he faces death more so than anyone else. He knows that as the former Champion of the Galra, he is targeted.

But if he knows one thing, it's that he will try his damn best to stay.

"I won't leave you."

Keith tightly wraps his arms around him. "Promise me, asshole," Keith stammers, jabbing at Shiro without malice. "Never again."

Shiro smiles, gently rubbing the teen's back. "Never again."

He smiles even more when he tries his new arm a few hours later, courtesy of Hunk and Pidge. Smiles when he spars with Keith again to test it. Smiles as the Red Paladin whoops his excitement at having Shiro back in the action.

The Galra aren't ready.


End file.
